A (Bull)dog house for families

Brandon Bird smiles as he serves up a sandwich on Wednesday at the Bulldog Deli, 1815 65th Ave. in Greeley. In addition to his sandwich shop, Bird also is an active firefighter with the Greeley Fire Department.

Janna Long, 17, smiles as she talks with friends and eats one of the sandwiches available at the Bulldog Deli in Greeley. Owner Brandon Bird opened the sandwich shop near University Schools as a place for students and parents to go to.

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For Greeley firefighter Brandon Bird, the road to opening Bulldog Deli in west Greeley with his wife, Shannan, began with a vintage Pac-Man machine.

Bird said the game reminded him of places he used to hang out as a kid. The couple wanted to create a place where their young sons and others in the community could enjoy a fun, safe environment, complete with games to keep youngsters entertained while mom and dad catch a few fleeting minutes of relaxation.

“It just seems like that’s missing with all the chains,” he said.

Bird, who served for eight years in the infantry division of the U.S. Marine Corps during the Gulf War, grew up in the mountain town of Georgetown, where his parents owned a restaurant.

“All along the way I’ve had a little bit of a connection with food service and with giving back to the community,” he said.

Bird said having grown up around food, he’s always enjoyed running restaurants, and he and his wife have owned several Subway franchises in the past. They grew tired of tight restrictions from corporations, though, and Bird said he’s been looking for a way to build a unique food spot where he and his wife could be more creative.

The two decided to try their luck bidding on a foreclosed space at 1815 65th Ave. across from University Schools. Bird said he made an offer to the bank, and soon the couple owned the 3,000-square-foot restaurant that had been in foreclosure for three years.

For Bird, naming the restaurant Bulldog Deli was a great fit as the bulldog is the mascot of the Marine Corps and University Schools. Shannan Bird was in charge of decorating the space, and the end result is an eclectic mix of sports, military and firefighter memorabilia — Bird’s combat helmet from Operation Desert Storm, an old boxing helmet and gloves from fellow firefighter Randy Sparkman’s family. The Pac-Man game that started it all is situated in the back along with other games and a foosball table.

The decor isn’t the only unique aspect of the deli. Bird said he and his wife wanted to offer an ordering process to give customers exactly what they want.

They came up with a system where customers choose from options on a slip of paper and hand it to the cashier.

“The kids are loving it because they can pick out exactly what they want,” he said.

Both of the Birds’ sons, 8 and 11, attend University, and Bird coaches youth football and baseball. Bird said the spot is in the perfect location for an after-school or post-game hangout.

He said he often sees students sitting outside the school, waiting on a parent who’s running late, and he’s happy to give those kids a place to do homework or play games.

“When I was a kid, there were arcades,” Bird said. “There were places we could go. Kids 13 to 17, they don’t have a place to go.”

Bird said he’s hired 12 people so far, some of whom are students working nights and weekends, and he hopes to continue to supporting the community by providing jobs. He said he also hopes the restaurant gives his family the opportunity to support local charitable organizations.

Bird said he doesn’t plan on choosing between the restaurant business and serving as a firefighter, which he’s been doing for eight years.

“Certainly I’m not quitting my day job,” he said. “I love being a firefighter, and I’ll do that until I retire.”

And as second jobs go, Bird said he can’t think of a better way to spend his days off than running a place that he hopes will bring families, teams and the community closer together.